SSS 2008-08-26
时间：2018-12-24 作者：英语课 分类：Scientific American(八)月
This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthuer. Got a minute?
Don't be fooled by those big bovine 1 eyes and the mouth slowly chewing cud—cows have a magnetic personality. At least that’s the claim made by German researchers in the August 26th issue of the Proceedings 2 of the National Academy of Sciences. Using Google Earth images, the scientists looked down on over 8,000 cattle around the world. And, when grazing or resting, cows tended to face either magnetic north or south.
The researchers combined field observations with the satellite data and discovered that herds 3 of both deer and cattle tend to align 4 themselves north-south. Factors like wind and the angle of the sun had little bearing on how the animals stood. More often than not, like needles of a compass, heads swiveled northward 5. While it’s been known that birds, bees and fish use the earth’s magnetic fields for orientation 6, this study is the first to point to a magnetic sense in large mammals. The scientists speculate that this behavior may allow the animals to stay spatially 7 oriented. In case danger lurks 8 and a cow needs to make any sudden…moos.
Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthuer .
- He threw off his pack and went into the rush-grass andand munching,like some bovine creature.他丢开包袱，爬到灯心草丛里，像牛似的大咬大嚼起来。
- He was a gentle,rather bovine man.他是一位文雅而反应迟钝的人。
- He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
- to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼
- Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
- There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。
- Align the ruler and the middle of the paper.使尺子与纸张的中部成一条直线。
- There are signs that the prime minister is aligning himself with the liberals.有迹象表明首相正在与自由党人结盟。
- He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。
- I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。
- Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
- The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。